


Seeing a Light (A Face in the Crowd)

by Indehed



Series: Night/Light Glow 'verse [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, First Time, M/M, Possessive Steve McGarrett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-02-16
Packaged: 2017-11-29 10:39:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/686006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indehed/pseuds/Indehed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve McGarrett has been chasing Victor Hesse for almost two centuries. When the trail leads him back to Hawai'i, Steve meets the Detective investigating his relative's case and is shocked by the man's resemblance to his old partner, from decades ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing a Light (A Face in the Crowd)

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place as an AU rewrite of the pilot so only spoilers are for 1.01.  
> I have no idea where my brain came up with this. The vampire mythology I use is influenced by The Lair, The Vampire Diaries and Moonlight (for some of the recognizable elements that I can tell are in here) but is pretty much a general mishmash of random vampire lore. Hopefully it's all understandable!  
> Title is from the song ‘Jealousy’ by Will Young.  
> Thanks to tkeylasunset for the beta!

Victor Hesse had been a thorn in Steve McGarrett's side for almost two centuries. Victor and his brother had ruined his life by turning him into what they were, trying to stop him from hunting them thinking it would make him join them. But it wasn't what they were that had had Steve and his then partner trying to catch them - it was the job. They were the bad guys, outlaws, and it was the job of local law enforcement to put those guys in jail for their crimes. 

Ambushed one night while out on the trail of the Hesse brothers, Steve was captured and knocked unconscious. When he woke, he was no longer the person he once was. 

Once Steve was turned, he went into hiding, ashamed of the changes in him that he couldn't seem to control, especially when he drew near his Deputy. When Thomas was killed a few years later, Steve lost all his emotional balance and tore the heads off the guys who did it. It was a bloodbath. 

It was then that he knew he couldn't stay where he was or Victor and Anton Hesse would win and he would become just like them, reveling in his darker side. 

In a bid for control over himself he traveled East - the opposite direction to those heading west to explore The New World. Returning from China to America at the turn of the 20th Century, he found himself soon embroiled in two world wars. Remaining with the military he then fought in Korea and Vietnam, right on up to Afghanistan and Iraq. He was good at his job. The military was a common calling for those of his kind. It gave them an outlet for their heightened emotions and their abilities were nurtured. The military kept them healthy and 'on the wagon' where drinking from people was concerned. Not to mention the fact that it was more difficult to kill his kind than humans. Steve's control was so tight after years of travel and research, his age so great, that he was able to become a member of the elite forces. He joined the Navy SEALS.

He hadn't been home much lately. Not to the US and not to any of the towns or cities that his descendants had lived in down the years. 

It was in South Korea where he finally cornered Anton Hesse and was taking pleasure in seeing him trussed up in cuffs in the back of his van. He was with his unit which helped to ground him, and despite his desire to just kill Anton now, he was holding back. He was wanting to draw Victor out so he could kill both of them. He hadn't been this close to his goal for years.

That was when his phone rang. 

By the time the dust settled, and Steve tried to barter to save John McGarrett, it was too late. Anton was dead, and Victor had succeeded in killing one of Steve's last direct descendants. All that was left now was John's daughter, Mary. Victor was winning, if you wanted to look at it that way. Almost two hundred years of war between McGarrett and Hesse, and Victor had killed so many of Steve's relatives, all while Steve kept hunting the two brothers and only now did he finally get one of them.

But Anton was dead and he knew where Victor was - in Hawai'i. This time, Steve would get him. He'd kill the one who made him like this; the one who had started this blood feud, and Victor would be the last kill that Steve would enjoy. 

*

Arriving back in Honolulu, he was summoned by the Governor. He met her at Pearl Harbor. She wasn't what he expected. He didn't know that John was a friend of hers, or that John regularly spoke of his 'Great Uncle' to anyone really. But she knew who and what he was and she knew his record and she wanted him to do a job. 

He refused on the spot. He was on Hesse's trail and that was his primary objective. 

Following that trail led him to the house that he had spent time in years ago on extended leave. Mary was still growing up at the time. He'd left when John's wife had died. He rejoined the Navy out of anger and to try and have a purpose in life again. Whenever his family members died, leaving someone behind, he was always reminded of his first partner and what could have been. 

He and Thomas had been close. Closer than brothers and even more, though the relationship was secretive. As Sheriff and Deputy in a small dusty town back then, it wasn't exactly a relationship they could share with people. It had been hidden away from the world and they'd done a fine job of hiding it when in public. He'd never loved another person like Thomas since. He blamed himself for Thomas' death. His Deputy, long mourning the loss of Steve, stepped up and took his place as Sheriff. Had Steve still been there, and not hiding out like a coward ashamed of himself, then maybe Thomas wouldn't have died. Not like that. Not then.

Steve prowled around the house, noting things out of the ordinary, like the footprints on the wooden floorboards. In the garage, he pulled back the tarp on the old Marquis that he'd driven back in the seventies and had kept with John through the years. He was almost surprised to see it still here.

A sound behind him startled him and a moment later he had his gun trained on the person who had effectively snuck up on him. 

"HPD, put the gun down!"

"Lt Commander Steve McGarrett, who? Who are you…?" He trailed off, eyes widening.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. 

"I'm Detective Danny Williams, HPD, put your gun down."

This man claiming to be the Detective on his relative's case looked so much like Thomas, like the man he'd lost all those years ago. But Thomas was dead. It was a full death and not one he could come back from, so how was this possible?

"Show me your ID."

"Show me yours."

After another brief argument, Steve barely believing what he was seeing, they found a compromise and were able to bring their badges out of their pockets. Satisfied that Detective Williams had a shield, Steve lowered his gun, but he was still unsure how to proceed. Was this Thomas? Back in front of him after all these years?

"This is an active crime scene, you can't be in here," Danny Williams said as he lowered his badge and holstered his gun.

"This man was a relative of mine. I just want answers."

"Look, I'm sorry for your loss, but I can't share any information with you."

"I've been on on the trail of Hesse for years. You know him." Steve shook himself. This can't be Thomas, this is someone else, or his own mind playing tricks. Danny showed no signs of recognizing him so he had to go along with that, which meant Danny didn't know Hesse. "I mean, you know he's the one you're after."

"I'm not gonna ask you again. You've got to leave."

Steve just stared at the other man. It was uncanny. Many years had passed since he'd last heard Thomas' voice, seen his eyes, and time could make you forget, make you skew your image of someone but this? It was like he was standing in front of the man again. Could Danny be related to Thomas? Someone far down his line? One thing was for sure, he wasn't native to Hawai'i, and he couldn't have been here long going by the way he held himself… and the tie.

"I'm staying." He wanted more time with this man. Danny Williams may be telling him to go but there was a pull between them that was impossible for Steve to deny. The investigation was his perfect opportunity to explore this man. 

"How long have you been with Honolulu PD?" Steve asked.

"That's none of your business."

"It is my business if you're investigating the death of my family member."

"I am, and I'd like to get back to it. so please leave so I can do my job."

"No," he said. "You need to let me stay." He kept his eyes leveled on Danny's, not breaking the contact. He never liked to use Influence on others. He saw it as a remnant from the days when those like him treated humans as cattle and used their Influence to hypnotic effect, though the effects had been exaggerated in literature and movies over the years, and didn't always work. But in this moment he just wanted Danny to back down and nothing more, and his Influence should help him do just that.

"If you don't go, I'll have you arrested." Danny was clearly not affected by him. Steve liked that. It made Danny more interesting, and a greater challenge. 

He smirked as he crossed his arms and stood his ground. "You going to call for back up?"

"An ambulance." 

Steve raised his eyebrow at Danny's remark. His resemblance to Thomas was where the draw to him began, but it was Danny's soul that seemed to glow at Steve. He'd not felt this strong a connection to another person in a long time, and certainly never _this_ strong. Even if Thomas' memory did seem to be in his thoughts, it was clear that Danny was his own person.

That was when Steve remembered the Governor's offer. Finding and killing Hesse was one thing, and Steve may not have been back to Hawai'i in a long time, but this changed things. A connection like this had to be followed through. He needed to be here. Perhaps this was part of the key to finally killing Victor Hesse. Perhaps it wasn't a coincidence that he ran into Danny, here, on an investigation aimed at finding Hesse.

Steve pulled out his phone and called the Governor. After putting it on speaker long enough to prove to Danny who he was talking to, he accepted the job. He had a reason to stay, and he was staring at it.

"Now it's my crime scene."

*

Danny had pretty much stormed out of the house after that. Steve had planned to follow but he needed to know more first. He didn't want to scare Danny away; he had to take his time with this. He may feel like he already knew Danny, and he may already have thoughts in his head of Danny falling into his arms like something out of a bad romance novel, but there was no reason to believe it would be reciprocated. Steve had been on this Earth for a long time, a few more hours wouldn't kill him. He could play a longer game with this.

He found Danny's precinct and gathered all the information he could, including the files on John, Danny and the investigation. Jumping in a taxi, he headed to the address he'd been given for Danny and read the files on the way over. When he arrived it was raining as he moved up the stairs and knocked on the door. 

When Danny answered, Steve instantly saw that glow in him again and was almost speechless staring at the man. He pulled himself together and cleared his throat. "You put a wiretap on a guy named Fred Doran. Tell me about it."

He pushed into the apartment, eager to get out of the rain and to see where Danny lived. He ignored the muttered 'come in' that Danny had offered. 

Sadness crept over him when he saw how Danny was living. The apartment was tiny, with its fold out bed and very little furniture. He'd have to fix this. If he stayed and lived in John's house, then Danny would just have to be there too. It would be for the man's own good. After all, if things went to plan, Danny would be wanting to spend all his time with Steve anyway and living together would be a natural step. 

Looking around, his eyes caught the picture of a young girl. "Is this your kid?"

"Stunning detective work."

"You don't let her stay here, do you?"

"None of your business," Danny responded. Steve wanted to know more, more about Danny and his daughter, and what had happened to Danny to bring him to Hawai'i. Danny's file mentioned the ex-wife and that his daughter's name was Grace, and she was eleven. The file had facts and figures in it, he wanted to hear everything from Danny himself, complete with the emotion of it all, but that would have to wait. 

"Tell me about Doran."

Danny filled him in on the arms dealer and spoke of Hesse's likely hunt for a weapon. Steve was glad for having Danny on the investigation already. Good at his job, this information from Danny would instantly help put Steve further into the case.

"Let's go talk to him."

"Woah, wait, are you suffering from dementia? This is no longer my case," Danny argued, and once again Steve was reminded of the fact that Danny wasn't going to make anything easy for him. He'd almost taken for granted the fact that Danny would follow him. His natural Influence usually had people falling in line. And besides, Thomas had grumbled, but he'd listened to Steve and had been there to be back up no matter what. 

"You transferred in from New Jersey six months ago so your eyes are still fresh," he argued.

"I appreciate it but my psych eval is not for six weeks."

"Fold out bed, no ring on your finger, you obviously moved out here to be close to your daughter which means between visits all you have is your job and you take pride in it. That's what I'm looking for."

"Yeah, but you know what? It's guys like you who think they know how to do everything better that only makes my job harder."

'Guys like you'? 'Do everything better'? Did Danny know what Steve was or was he just generalizing? Of course he _wanted_ Danny to know, and it wasn't a life or death secret, but he'd always kept that information low key. He'd never broadcast what he was, not wanting the prejudice. He remembered a time when those like him were seen as a lower class of people, used for slaves where controllable, or killed as being dangerous. Steve looked away for a moment, gathering his thoughts. 

He would have to strong arm Danny for now and work it out later. They were going to work together. 

"You've got no choice, Detective. The Governor gave me jurisdiction and I'm making you my partner. We're going to get along great."

*

"PUT THE GUN DOWN, I'LL DO IT, I'LL KILL HER, I'LL KILL HER RIGHT NOW!"

"YOU JUST SHOT MY PARTNER!" Steve yelled back at Doran as the woman struggled in the arms dealer's hold. "YOU DON'T WALK AWAY FROM THAT!"

Seeing Danny fall back over the railings had him flashing back to such a long time ago and seeing Thomas fall in battle. The rage came rolling over him and he'd chased after Doran with clear intent. Doran wouldn't get away with this, and in that moment, he visualized the frantic movement slowing around him and shot Doran, hitting him right between the eyes and watching him drop. The woman scurried away with a cry. 

Steve marched up to Doran's body and spat beside it. The hole in his head was a perfectly good way to kill a human, so he was definitely dead. Emotions he hadn't let himself feel in a long time bubbled to the surface; a fierce sense of revenge and a wave of protectiveness and possessiveness towards Danny.

"Hey, hey, hey!" 

The yells from the already so familiar voice called out from nearby as Danny jogged over, his hand scrunched in the fabric of his shirt sleeve. Steve could smell the blood before Danny was beside him. 

"Are you okay?" Steve asked, spinning to the voice and now ignoring Doran's body and putting all his focus on his partner. He reached out and Danny pulled back, not letting him. 

"What is the matter with you? You just killed our only lead!"

"He hurt you, and he wasn't going to let that woman go. I had no choice."

"You had no choice? You could have aimed somewhere other than the guy's forehead, ‘cause if there's one shot he's got no chance of surviving, it's one there."

Steve was drawn into Danny as he ranted at him, arms flailing despite the injury. The glow was back and he smiled faintly, but concern for Danny's health overrode the moment when the smell of blood tainted Steve's nose again. He had to make sure Danny didn't make the injury worse so he reached out again to stop the man from moving around so much. But then, he wanted to reach out and touch Danny, to remind himself that Danny was here and still alive. The concern for his injury was a convenient smokescreen for his feelings.

"Hey, hey, stop, you'll make it worse, quit moving," Steve tried as Danny turned away, hoping to throw Steve's hands off from the grip he now had on his arms. 

"Danny, look at me, look at me, stay still." He was trying the Influence again and as Danny's body stilled they both took deep calming breaths. Steve's eyes were drawn once more to the blood on Danny's arm. He could smell it clearly now they were so close and it smelled good. To someone like him, blood always smelled different in every person and all played into taste. He knew Danny would taste good and he inadvertently licked his lips as he thought about sinking his teeth into Danny's neck for a first taste.

Danny tilted his head as he looked at Steve. "What is that? What are you doing? Why are you looking at me like that, with your eyes bugging out like you're having an aneurism?" Danny's eyes darted down to his arm to where Steve's attention had headed to. "Wait, no, you're kidding me, right? What are you, a freaking vampire?"

"Danny…" Steve began, hoping to placate him.

"No, no, you are, aren't you?! And just now, did you? You just did that googly-eye, quack like a chicken thing on me," Danny ranted, almost unaware of his own words.

"Chicken?"

"Hypnotism! Whatever!" Danny argued as he shrugged out of Steve's hold. 

"It's not hypnotism, Danny. At best it's a suggestion. And you need to watch your arm."

"It's my arm, not yours, I'll do what I like with it. And right now, it's itching to punch you in the face for trying some of that vampire shit on me right after getting me shot!"

"Go ahead then!" Steve said, holding his arms wider. "It's only fai-" He didn't get a chance to complete his sentence as Danny's fist made contact with his chin. He hadn't expected Danny to follow through, thought he was just trying to make a point but no, he punched him. And it hurt. 

"Son of a…"

*

While Danny was patched up by the EMTs on the scene, Steve wandered off to look for evidence. The smells in this place were pungent but something wasn't right, something was out of place. When he heard the scraping sound he discovered the girl and was thankful for his years in China to help him communicate with her. 

He handed her off to HPD and made his way back to Danny, hoping he'd have cooled down. 

Danny was buttoning up his shirt as Steve approached and he swallowed at the sight. He hadn't expected to be seeing part of Danny naked yet. He'd expected from the cut of his shirt and pants that Danny looked good underneath, and the glimpse he was getting was proving it. Once they had some time to slow down, he was going to have to do something about this, maybe explain to Danny how he was feeling. He had to be careful not to scare him off though. 

He decided to stick to business as he approached. "The girl is Chinese, smuggled in from China a few days ago with her parents. She gets here and is traded to Doran." 

Danny sighed, "If that was my daughter…"

Steve paced away slightly from where Danny leaned against the ambulance. "If they're smuggling in from Asia then that must be how Hesse got in."

"Human trafficking, great. So what's your plan then, hot shot?"

"I think I know someone who can help."

"You know a guy?"

"Yeah, I know a guy, a guy like me," Steve shrugged

"A guy like you?" Danny laughed. "What, you can't just say 'vampire' like a normal person? Which, by the way, is something I'm just getting used to, but then, I'm also only just getting used to being your partner. Gotta say, it's certainly enlightening. Are all vamps like you or are you just a one off?"

"I'm sure you've met vampires before Danny, we're not uncommon."

"No, that is true, you are not. But most vamps wear it on their sleeves and you know what you're getting into straight away, but you? You hide it and don't even tell me! I have to figure it out for myself after you, and I hate to repeat this but it's worth repeating, GET ME SHOT!"

"Look, I'm sorry okay? I'm sincerely sorry but can you just let it go? We've got a criminal to catch."

"Fine, fine. Your apology is noted. Acceptance is pending. Now get in the damn car."

"Head to Pearl, last I heard my friend was working there."

*

"Steve McGarrett?"

"Chin Ho Kelly!" Steve greeted the local with a big smile on his face. "Been a long time."

"Too long, brah. I heard about John's death. I'm really sorry, he was a good cop."

"So were you. You trained him after all," Steve mentioned as they headed for a seat, Chin sitting opposite him, while he made sure to stick close to Danny's side. They sat while Danny and Chin shook hands and exchanged introductions.

"John told me you retired to become a football coach. What gives? You're still young."

"I was with HPD for 40 years. Service is all very well but time consuming, as you know. I wanted to slow down for a while so I spent time coaching the Kukui High School football team. When my contract ended, I took up the security gig. Easy money, but gotta say, it's been getting boring now. What about you, heard you were still with the SEALs?"

Steve nodded, "It's been good for me, but I'm back now and I'm on the trail of Victor Hesse."

Chin gave a low whistle. "Same old Steve McGarrett then."

"We think Hesse was smuggled onto the island with Chinese immigrants, and we could use your help narrowing it down."

"You'll be looking for a snakehead - local Chinese gangs that specialize in human smuggling."

"You got a name?" Danny asked. 

"I know a guy who has ties to that world, but he's a CI, he won't talk to you."

"Then come with us, talk to him for us." Steve smiled. "I could really use you on board with this. Think of it as a ticket back in to relieve you of your boredom."

*

Danny sighed as he turned and put the shave ice he was holding on top of the Mustang. The two of them had been standing in silence for a while and he'd been picking up on little subtleties that Steve was giving off, like the fact that the taller man had been edging closer to them the longer they stood there. He'd pegged that there was something weird about Steve from the beginning but the man had done a good job hiding his true self from Danny, until the blood had given him away. It was frustrating - Danny could tell a vampire pretty much straight away. Even if he hadn't already been told Chin Ho was a vampire, he'd have worked it out by the way the man held himself. Steve though, Steve was military, and _elite_ at that so Danny had only really seen the GI Joe thousand-yard stare at first.

There was something going on. It was as if Steve was doing more than just the job. He was hiding something and Danny wanted to know what it was. He found himself wanting to know a lot of things about Steve. He had a magnetism that was… intriguing, and quite alluring.

He cleared his throat. "When I moved here, I thought it was weird to see vampires around the place. Sun and all," he gestured upwards. "Thought you'd be worried you'd burst into flames or something."

"It's a myth, Danny." Steve said, turning to him with an amused look in his eyes, knowing full well that Danny was yanking his chain.

"Sure okay, but do you wanna tell me what's with the…?" Danny trailed off, gesturing the small distance between the two of them. 

With impeccable timing, the Psycho music went off in Danny's pocket and with a growl he pulled his phone out and hit the answer button. "Yes, dear." A moment later he couldn't help but smile when it wasn't Rachel on the other end. "Hey Monkey, no, I thought it was your mom."

He spoke with her for a few moments as she excitedly told him about how much the other kids at school had liked Mr. Hoppy, and how much she was looking forward to seeing him at the weekend. "Danno loves you," he said before hanging up. 

"Who's Danno?" Steve asked, having not even moved away to give Danny privacy to talk with his daughter. No, the man was sticking by his side.

"Just don't."

"Danno," Steve murmured. 

"I was asking what was wrong with you. I'd still like an answer." Danny hedged back into the earlier point he wanted cleared up. "You've been giving me looks since we met, don't think I haven't noticed, and your concept of personal space seems very relaxed, considering we just met a few hours ago."

Steve nodded slowly, as if considering what to say to Danny but there was a look of honesty about him when he turned, putting his shave ice down and mirroring Danny's stance. "You remind me of someone. Someone I was very close to, a long time ago."

"A long time ago? How old are you anyway?"

"I'm closing in on 200. I was turned in my mid-thirties."

"So this guy who I remind you of?"

"He was my partner before I was a vampire. We were the law for a frontier town in the mid 1800s. I was Sheriff, he was my Deputy. Thomas was… amazing." Steve leaned further in, the gap closing between them. He reached a hand up to Danny's neck and this time, Danny didn't back away. "The likeness is incredible. I know you're not him, but at first I could have sworn… and being with you, it's so comfortable, so easy."

Steve's other hand came up to cup Danny's jaw. His eyes were so intense, and yet seemed honest and inviting, Danny couldn't look away. When Steve had used his Influence on him before, it had been so minor that he responded, but Danny knew it meant he was beginning to trust Steve if he was letting his guard down enough for him do it. He felt it wash over him again. There had never been any real scientific way of determining how Influence worked, but he had been trained at the Academy that it was still something you had to give in to, whether through trust, mental weakness or simple lust. So why, after a few hours, was sensible and cautious Danny Williams, letting a vampire Influence him? He was beginning to trust Steve, and more than just to have his back on the job. And that scared him, especially if there was lust involved here too.

As they stood there, eyes connected, Steve leaned in so their lips were almost touching. "I want you, Danny. Please.”

Danny let him take control. His hands lightly held Steve's elbows, he nodded imperceptibly, but it was enough for Steve to know Danny was with him. Danny felt Steve's fingers touching his neck, under the collar of his shirt. His lips trailed over the stubble on Danny's cheek, his nose tickled behind Danny's ear.

His brain in a fog, it took him almost too long to realize what Steve was doing, where he was going and he knew he had to pull himself together.

"Are you a vampire?" The little voice spoke beside them. Steve jumped back, startled, while Danny struggled to regain his composure, piecing together what just happened. 

"Are you going to bite him?" The little girl asked.

"I'm just, I'm…" Steve stuttered, "Hey, you like cotton candy? Go find your mom."

"I don't like cotton candy."

"I got something you might like." Danny rummaged behind the passenger seat of the car, finding the bunny he'd stashed there. As the girl ran off with it he turned to Steve with a successful smile on his face.

The moment was broken between them, but Danny wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or not, and if so, who at. What he really wanted to do was put everything off until later. He was very grateful for the sound of Chin's laughter behind him. 

*

"Sang Min. According to Kamekona he runs the Islands’ import/export business. He's a vampire. File says he was turned in the ‘80s," Chin explained.

"That would explain the bad hair then," Danny said.

"Hesse could have used him to get on the Island," Steve began. "He only trusts fellow vampires, not humans."

"Even if this is our guy, he's got no reason to tell us where Hesse is. And as a vampire he'll take longer to interrogate," Danny reasoned.

"That's where I come in."

"I had a feeling you might say that," Danny drummed his fingers on the table. "But we still have to get him. We need leverage."

"You're thinking bait and trap?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. Send someone in with a sob story, wanting to get family over. Grab him on that, try and get him to flip."

"Only one problem with that, _Haole_ ," Chin spoke. "Sang Min's old, he's been here a long time and he knows everyone, including you by now. You need to find someone outside the box."

"I take it you have someone in mind?" Steve asked.

"Oh yeah," Chin smiled. 

*

Meeting Chin's relative, Kono, had been an experience. Chin's cousin's grand-daughter was a hot girl in a bikini and she was standing in front of him, yet Danny was more attuned to Steve at that point. The guy was giving off vibes that Danny could sense without looking at him. 

Since the 'incident' at Kamekona's, Steve had backed off slightly, giving Danny some space and keeping things professional. But now that Danny had smiled at a nearly naked woman, Steve was asserting himself again. Consciously or not, Danny couldn't tell.

In a bid to have Steve calm down, they'd separated shortly after and Danny had ridden back to their new HQ with Chin instead. Unlike with Steve, he felt fine sitting next to Chin. There wasn't anything beneath the surface and Chin could have been anyone. No expectation, no agenda, it was simple and the silence wasn't a problem. 

It was basic curiosity that began their conversation. "So when'd they get you, huh?" Danny asked.

"The sixties," Chin answered.

"I hear those were crazy times," Danny prompted.

"You could say that," Chin started. "You know your history though, so you know that's when they had to up the jail time for vamps that turned unwilling humans. And then they introduced those neck guards."

"Damned hippies have a lot to answer for, I guess. I take it someone got you during an arrest?"

"Textbook case," Chin nodded. "She'd rather go to jail for a short time for the turn, than life for killing a cop. I see you don't wear the neck guard. Cops were the reason those things were invented."

"I haven't worn one since I was on the beat. They're uncomfortable, constricting, you know? I figure if I get bit it's my own damn fault now." Danny flashed back to earlier in the day when he almost did get bitten by Steve. Even if the other man wasn't planning on turning Danny, he still shouldn't have let it happen. Like he said, it was his own fault for letting Steve in, and he needed to control himself better. He could shout at Steve for it, and he probably would later, but he wanted to be reasonable when he did.

If Chin were to try something to get to Danny now, he wouldn't make it. Danny knew he was strong enough to counter a vamp attack, physical or influential. Steve was different. Steve was becoming a weakness. Danny's reflexes and barriers were still as strong as ever when it came to anyone else. He was confident about that.

"You ever worked closely with vampires before?" Chin asked.

"No," Danny shook his head. "All my partners have been human. Nothing against you guys, it just never happened. Most of the vamps I came up against in Jersey were the criminal kind."

"We're no different than anyone else. Good guys… bad guys… weaknesses and strengths, experience or lack thereof. Steve's the oldest I know, though. There's not many that survive as long as he has."

"He's something, all right."

"I'm just saying," Chin turned slightly to face Danny as they pulled up to park. "His story is long. Don't jump to conclusions about him."

*

They'd all split up and gone to work on different aspects of the case. Chin was organizing the meet with Sang Min, Kono was working on her cover story, Danny went to get the surveillance equipment from the precinct. And Steve?

Steve had gone back to the house, and was working on the evidence from there, using his vendetta against Hesse to distract him from his growing attraction to Danny. He knew he was falling already and it had only been a day. Vampires felt emotions more strongly than humans and so when they loved, they loved harder. Feelings he'd once had for Thomas came flooding back for his doppelganger, and yet through the day, he'd come to see Danny as a completely separate person to the one in his memory. It had intrigued him, pulled him in and now he was imagining what he could do with Danny. He thought about tasting him, with lips and teeth. He thought about peeling those tight clothes from his body, and he thought about giving Danny so much pleasure that all he'd be able to think about was Steve and what Steve could do. He wanted to be over Danny, around him, envelope him, be inside him, in his head, in his body. 

He had to force himself to concentrate on the mission to stop the tightness in his pants from getting worse.

When Danny showed up with the equipment, it was getting late but the sun was still up but beginning to sink in the sky. 

"It's kinda dark in here," Danny said, moving around the living space. "Musty, a little old… seems very 'you'. You got a coffin around here somewhere?"

"We don't sleep in coffins, Danny. We sleep in beds, just like everyone else. There's one upstairs, big and comfy." Steve straightened and looked Danny directly in the eyes. "I can show you, if you want."

There was a beat of silence, heavy around them until Danny jerked his head to the side. "I need a beer."

Steve smiled to himself as he watched Danny go. That wasn't a no. 

He heard Danny rummage in the fridge, he heard the glass clinking together as he lifted the bottles out, and then the back door fell closed as Danny wandered outside, clearly needing some space to breathe again. 

They had time, but Steve's urge to keep Danny close overrode everything else in his head. Shucking his sweaty shirt and t-shirt, he wandered outside topless, tattoos on show, chest on display. It was a blatant attempt to get Danny hot and bothered, to make it more difficult for Danny to deny that he was feeling something too, that their meeting was something more than coincidence.

He came up slowly behind Danny, but refrained from reaching out to touch him. "You going to tell me what Danno means?"

"It's between me and Grace," Danny answered, not looking back at Steve but staring out towards the water.

"Danny, you can look at me."

"No, no I can't, because when I do, your eyes go dark and you start using your vampire Jedi mind tricks on me."

"Danny, it's not like that." Steve took the last small steps between them and tentatively wrapped his arms around Danny from behind, one securely snug around his waist, the other lightly holding onto Danny's injured arm. "You can't be Influenced to feel something that isn't already there."

"I don't know that," he argued, "not for sure."

He could feel Danny relaxing against him as he soothed his hand down Danny's arm, head lolling back against Steve's shoulder. 

"I want you, Danny," he murmured against his ear. "I want whatever you'll give me."

"I'm not him."

"I know. I know." Steve could hear the blood singing in his ears, he could hear it coursing through Danny's veins and could feel his teeth pushing through his gums. He rubbed them against the skin of Danny's neck, savoring the moment before the taste.

Danny stiffened in his arms. "Steve, stop."

"Danny…"

"Please, don't." It was the break in Danny's voice that made Steve pull back enough to gather his wits.

Danny twisted in his arms, finally looking at Steve, and though Steve had the opportunity to try and relax him, he didn't take it. He just looked at Danny, letting him decide what they were doing, but he didn't pull away.

"I don't know what's going on in your head," Danny began. "And I know you have strong emotions but we can't do this. You're a vampire, I'm a human."

"Vampires and humans have relationships all the time."

"Yes they do, and it gets messy and complicated. We only met today, and whatever infatuation you have, it'll fade."

"No, it won't."

"I'm sure it will. Steve, I have a daughter to think about, and a job to do. We can't let things get complicated."

Steve nodded. He'd play along, he'd give Danny anything he wanted, and he'd prove to Danny that the feelings were real and wouldn't fade. He'd never turned anyone in his many years. He'd never wanted to subject another person to the initial torment of the turn, and he'd never wanted to put the immortal life sentence on anyone else, knowing that the only way to end it was by fire or beheading. There was no natural, pain-free death in his future. Now he knew why vampires committed suicide when the humans they loved died. Now he knew why others turned their human lovers so they could be together for as long as possible. Maybe he could convince Danny that they should be together, maybe Danny would be the one person Steve would turn, if that was what Danny wanted.

They didn't break apart., They stood with arms around each other and beer bottles slowly warming in the late afternoon sun where they sat on the chair beside them. 

Bloodlust calmed, Steve's teeth back to looking human, he slowly closed the distance between them and placed his lips on Danny's in a chaste kiss. Danny didn't respond at first, but then he opened up under Steve, allowing his tongue to find entry. The kiss grew as tongues and teeth clashed. They only pulled apart as Danny became breathless, seeking air, their foreheads resting together. 

"This is real, Danny."

"I know you say you're not Influencing me, but I can't know that after one day, Steven."

Steve moved a hand from Danny's back to cup his face. "I'd never force you. I couldn't."

He kissed him again, throwing as much passion behind it as he could, and Danny let him in again, fingers digging in at Steve's bare waist for support. 

"You taste… so good," Steve breathed between kisses, "God, I want more." He pushed into Danny, making the other man stumble a little in the sand. He tried to pull Danny down to the ground with him, but he wouldn't go, so Steve moved to his knees in front of him. The fabric of Danny's shirt fisted in his hands he pulled it apart, revealing Danny's chest and stomach to him. He leaned in, pressing his nose against Danny's skin and breathing deep, fingers fumbled at Danny's belt but hands were fighting him off and Danny jumped out of Steve's hold.

Confused by the loss of Danny's hot body pressed next to his, it gave Danny a chance to recover first and move further away. "What did I just say?" he asked, breathless.

Steve looked up, the haze clearing from his mind. Danny looked gorgeous, framed by the setting sun, shirt ripped, looking halfway debauched as he stood in front of him. 

"I'm sorry, I… I guess I got carried away," Steve answered. 

"Yeah, I think so."

"You look beautiful, Danny." Steve heard the awe in his own voice as he spoke. 

"I think I should go." Danny began to move back towards the house, but Steve caught his wrist as he passed him. 

"Wait, please. Stay. I promise I won't do anything."

"It's not a good idea, babe. Like I said, I need time to process this. It's better if I do it on my own."

Steve's instinct was to keep Danny close. For his protection as well as to sate his own, more primal need to have him in his bed. But he reminded himself that he'd promised he could play the long game, and if Danny needed some space he had to give it to him. 

"Fine, but we're okay, right?"

"Yeah, we're okay," Danny nodded. "I'll see you in the morning. I'm sure Chin will have the meet set by then."

Steve let go of Danny's wrist and watched him walk back up to the house, his hand pushing at the front of his pants. He palmed his own erection, trying to force it down but already knew the only way to get rid of it was to indulge. He picked himself up, rubbed the sand from his knees and headed inside to take a shower.

*

A topless Steve had almost been his undoing. Danny spent a restless night thinking back on what almost happened and he'd given in at one point, jacking himself off lying in bed, sheets tangled around his legs in the heat of his apartment.

He'd hoped that any Influence Steve had on him would fade when not in his presence. That was supposed to be how the whole thing worked. 

Relationships with vampires were always complicated. He'd never dated one but he knew people who had, and he'd seen the movies, read the books. It all came back to how the vampire felt everything so much more intensely, and generally dominated the human with their strong desires, winning over them, pulling them in. He couldn't help but see a parallel between those stories and what was happening to him. As much as he knew about vampires, there was still that grey area between fact and fiction when it came to becoming involved with one. He'd never given it much thought as it had never affected him previously. 

Now here he was, caught off guard by having one kissing him.

He knew that in vampire culture, once a human was tasted, the vampire laid a sort of claim on them. It was really no different than a dog pissing against a lamppost, but it was more culturally significant. With a vampire's stronger sense of smell, they could detect if someone was off limits. 

He had no doubt that Steve wanted to do that to him. Any amount of sex they had would only cement a claim until you showered, but bite marks included some kind of secretion that a vampire gave off that lingered until fully healed. It was all a bunch of posturing, and Danny had previously refused to give it serious thought, knowing he'd never be in that kind of position.

But now he was here; in that position. And a part of him was actually yearning for Steve to do that to him. To feel the sting of teeth biting down on him, to feel the rush that people said they felt when the vampire compensated for the blood loss with their toxin. 

He'd never been one to give in to peer pressure, not even when he was a teenager and his friends offered him some weed. So why now would the introduction of a vampire in his life make him crave the kind of high you could only experience from one?

Time apart was supposed to be for his own good, and yet he cursed himself for the forced exile. Yes, he had to know that he was still in charge of his own body, his own mind. He kept telling himself that, especially as guilt washed over him for succumbing to his body's traitorous needs. 

When morning finally came, and he dressed himself, he ignored the fact that he was doing his best to look good and that he'd spent more time in front of the mirror than usual. 

Steve's appreciative look was somehow worth it. 

They were nothing if not professional, and as the shit hit the fan while trapping Sang Min, they'd put the job first. Steve had shown his gung-ho military streak again as he'd run after Sang Min and stood his ground against the car.

It was only after, that the last check Steve and Danny did was to look to each other to make sure they were both okay, and they let the looks linger. In that moment Danny knew that the attraction went both ways. There was no way, that in the heat of the moment, with a gun trained on a suspect who could lead Steve to someone he'd been hunting for decades, would Steve do anything to affect how Danny was.

Steve was a good man. Danny saw that in him when he reunited the young Chinese girl with her family. The look he gave Danny was steady and calm, the smile was easy. They were edging closer to an even keel. Danny couldn't help but be the one to reach out to Steve this time, as they walked back to the warehouse.

*

Steve put his hand out to stop Danny from joining him inside. "Chin and I can take care of this."

"I'm perfectly able to interrogate a vamp."

"I know that, but you've never done it before alongside a vampire you're close to. He'll be able to tell and he'll use it against us."

"I call bullshit. I've showered, you've showered, we don't smell like each other anymore. If we did, Chin would have said something."

"We don't have to. There are other ways to tell, trust me on this. It'll be smoother if Chin and I take care of him."

"Fine, I'll go make sure Kono is all right while you go water-board him, or whatever it is you have planned." 

*

Steve had been victorious playing his bad cop routine with Sang Min. He didn't back down even though he'd been taunted by the younger vampire, but he'd pulled out his ace on an unsuspecting Sang Min. The man's son, now in his thirties, had never known what happened to his mother and father, didn't know that his father was a vampire who had accidentally killed his mother before turning to a life of crime in a shame spiral. Steve was more than willing to spill the beans if he didn't cooperate.

He played on Sang Min's emotions and he won. The vampire caved and gave Steve the information he needed.

*

Steve grabbed Danny and steered him to a Police cruiser that they had commandeered to run the lead down. They didn't have much time. Chin and Kono would be following with back up but Steve was on the trail, his hunt instincts taking over. He grabbed Danny to make sure he'd be in Steve's protection, close by his side, and then he floored it. 

He hung up with the Governor as Danny's phone rang. He already recognized the ring tone as the ex-wife and in his heightened state he let the possessive instinct wash through him. 

As Danny ended the call with a repeat of the name Danno, he looked over, saw Steve's face and relented. "Okay, Gracie was three, she tried to say my name but all that came out was 'Danno', that's all that came out. 'Danno'. Okay?"

"That's cute."

"Shut up, okay. I don't need you thinking something is cute right now, I need you concentrating on the road." Steve threw the cruiser into a turn and Danny held on, gritting his teeth. "How do you want to play this?"

"We're going straight in."

"Of course we are, blood feud and all, no holds barred."

"Hold on." Steve gunned the car and launched it up the ramp to the freighter. Immediately there was gunfire peppering their windshield and Steve aimed the car right at the goons who were doing the shooting. Crashing into the boat, he checked that Danny was okay before opening the door and running out, already shooting back at whoever was around them. The only person he was keeping safe was Danny. Everyone else was fair game, especially in the state he was in . 

As he followed his instincts, he knew Hesse was here. There was that faint bond he always relied on to find the son of a bitch who sired him. Closing in, using the crates as cover, he lost track of Danny, but he trusted he could take care of himself. The people around Hesse were human, not vampire, that much Steve could tell and Danny was a trained police officer.

Hesse's voice drifted over to him. "Long time no see, Steve. What's it been, thirty years since we last met?"

He caught a glimpse of Hesse in front of him. Following the voice, he responded. "Something like that. I remember your hair was blond."

"It was a phase." Hesse appeared in front of him suddenly, knocking him to the ground with some well aimed punches before running off, heading for higher ground. Steve growled as he picked himself up and followed. Eyes on the target, he followed Victor along the top of the crates and then they were at it. All speed and punches and kicks, the fury driving him to hit the older vampire harder until he messed up once he heard gunshots from elsewhere on the ship. Hesse got the drop on him and sent him flying down off the crate and onto the hard metal below. 

Victor laughed at him, sprawled and bleeding. "I thought you learned years ago that you couldn't better me."

"You could never teach me anything, Victor."

"The sire is always stronger, Steve. You couldn't kill me as a human and you can't kill me now. There's that switch in your brain, the remnant of a sire bond that tells you not to."

Victor picked up a gun and checked its ammo. Bullets may not kill Steve but they would hurt like hell and subdue him until Hesse could get in close for a proper kill. Steve couldn't let that happen. He looked around for something to help and spotted where his own handgun had fallen nearby. 

One shot rang out as he moved to try and get closer to it. Hesse had let off a round and hit Steve in the arm, then he jumped down to loom over him. 

Sniffing the air he looked quizzically at Steve. "What is that I smell on you?" His eyes bore into Steve's. "Surely not? No, the great Steve McGarrett would never have a human pet…"

The taunt against him and Danny was too much. With a yell, Steve lunged for Hesse, quicker than Victor could expect and he fought the gun away from Victor's hands long enough to empty the clip into his nemesis. 

Victor fell overboard and disappeared under the water. It wouldn't kill him, Steve knew, but hopefully he'd be unconscious long enough for the Coast Guard to find his body so Steve could kill him properly. It wasn't over yet, but it was closer than he'd been in a long time. 

*

The EMTs that arrived pulled the bullet out of Steve's arm and wrapped it up. It would be healed in a few hours; such was a vampire's recovery time from something like this. They cleaned up the blood from the cuts on his head and put something on his bruised eye. He'd forgotten how hard Victor could punch. 

Danny wandered over as they were finishing up. "The Coast Guard haven't found anything yet, but they'll keep looking."

"Damn," Steve swore. "Maybe he got away."

"If he did, we'll get him again. We got him once already, how hard can it be?" Danny's easy smile affected Steve, calming him. 

"We?" he asked, uncertain.

"Yeah 'we'. You, me, Chin, Kono. You hired us for a job, babe. Job's not done."

Steve stood from the back of the ambulance, nodding his thanks at the paramedic and walked back to one of the cruisers with his arm over Danny's shoulder. "Yeah, and I have a feeling the Governor will find plenty more for us. I'll meet you back at the office. I've got a few things to take care of first."

*

Changed out of his blood stained clothing and into something more respectable, Steve walked into the new offices to see people milling around, setting up equipment for the new team. Danny had chosen one of the empty offices and was already making the place his own. Steve smiled at the fact as he wandered in. 

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," Danny answered, looking up. "Wow, you, uh, you look good. I mean, better, healing fast."

"Here." Steve smiled as he rested the package on Danny's desk.

"What is this?"

"It's three nights at the Kahala Hotel. Look, I know you're going to say no-"

"Of course I'm going to say no."

"Hear me out. It's not for us, not like that. Gracie will be with you this weekend. You can take her there, swim with the dolphins. Just take it, Danny. If you want, think of it as a proper apology for getting you shot."

Danny nodded. "I guess in that case, the apology is fully accepted. Thank you." Danny came around the side of the desk and closed the gap between them. He reached out, patting Steve's good arm.

"You're welcome," Steve answered. He met Danny halfway, reaching out to snake an arm around his waist, pulling him in close and kissing him lightly. 

Danny pulled away after a few moments. "Not in the office, babe, people talk."

Steve smiled. Danny seemed more receptive today. Leaving him to figure things out for himself had been a good plan after all. 

They headed into the bullpen, which was littered with boxes and cases of equipment. After the delivery guys left, Steve broke out the beers and they sat for a while getting to know each other better. They'd stepped around each other as they examined different boxes to see what goodies the Governor had given them, and Chin and Kono, the more high-tech savvy of the four of them, almost salivated over some of it. 

As the other two were preoccupied, Steve sidled up next to Danny and ran his hand up the other man's side until it grasped his hand. "Come to dinner with me?"

"As in a ‘date’?" Danny asked with a smile on his face.

There was no point in beating around the bush so Steve answered yes with a perfectly straight face. 

"Uhm, okay," Danny agreed. "I guess we should talk properly."

Steve hustled Danny out of the office, with barely a wave to the others, ignoring Chin's knowing looks. 

They headed out to a nice restaurant along the beach front that Steve remembered from years before. It was rather touristy, but it had great food.

They sat in a slightly secluded area. With the sun going down for another night, the candle on the table and the low lighting above them on the veranda were all the light they had, and as far as Steve was concerned, it framed Danny perfectly. That glow he seemed to exude, that only Steve saw, was shining brighter than the candles.

After ordering, Steve sat back and just enjoyed being in Danny's presence. Things had changed for him over these last few days and he felt himself changing with them. He was more relaxed than he'd ever let himself be. Danny was going to be good for him. 

"I thought bloodsuckers didn't eat real food."

"Myth, Danny." Steve smiled, he could tell this was going to be a thing between them. "We can eat, we can drink and we can be merry, just like everyone else."

"But you still need blood," Danny pointed out. 

"We do. These days it tends to be from the bank though, and not directly from the vein. Not unless we have to."

"What about the…?" Danny gestured to his own neck and between the two of them. 

"You mean if I marked you?" Danny nodded so Steve continued. "That's different. It's not about survival. It's an intimate act between two people. It's just an element of sex with a vampire."

"And you want to? With me?" Danny took a long pull from his beer, trying to hide the faint blush on his cheeks. 

"I've never wanted to with anyone before. I've been with humans since turning but never to a point where I've wanted to lay claim." He was silent for a moment as he contemplated how to put this without freaking Danny out. "You know we feel things stronger. Love, jealousy… Not wanting anyone else to think they have a chance with someone that you're with? It's a primal, feral attitude, I'll grant you, but its part of who we are. If we were both vampires, I'd expect you to want the same thing from me in return."

Danny was quiet, contemplative as they sat for a while. He took another drink of his beer then said quietly, "whatever happens between us, I need to know that it won't affect Grace. She's the most important thing in my life. If getting involved with you brings danger to her door…."

"I can't promise you that. Just like I can't promise that my being a SEAL wouldn't, or that crime levels in Hawai'i wouldn't. But trust me when I say that keeping her safe and happy is now one of the most important things in my life, because she came from you and that makes her precious to me."

"I never expected to meet someone who'd want to be with me like you do. It takes some getting used to," Danny said as their food arrived. "What about you? How are you dealing with all this? With me reminding you of your old partner?"

"You're not him." Steve was adamant. He was attracted to Danny's looks and personality because they were so similar to Thomas, but this was a different relationship. But if there was something distinct and indefinable that brought them together? He wasn't going to question it right now. He planned to enjoy it. 

"You think there's something going on though? Why I look like him, why we met, why you… feel like you do?"

"Like magic? Divine intervention? Something like that?" Steve laughed lightly. "Possibly. But I'll worry about that down the line… if I have to."

*

Steve had driven back from the restaurant to his house, keeping Danny's keys from him, the alcohol not affecting him as much as at it could Danny. 

Clambering out of the car, he'd made his way to the front door, well aware of Danny trailing behind. He swung it open and turned back to Danny, who was hesitating slightly behind him. He reached out for Danny's wrist and pulled him in close, leaning back against the wall as he wrapped his arms around Danny's waist.

He leaned in close, placing a light kiss on Danny's lips as he spoke. "Are you still okay with this?"

"Yeah." Danny nodded against him. "Yeah, I'm on board."

Steve's hands slid down Danny's back and cupped his ass, pulling him in tighter against his crotch, eliciting a moan from the smaller man. The attraction between the two was undeniable when they were this close together. Enjoying hearing the sound Danny made, he wanted to hear it again and he shifted his hips against Danny for more friction.

"Inside," Danny moaned against Steve's lips. With a growl Steve shoved Danny through the door and slammed it shut behind him. Danny used the free moments he had to undo the top buttons of his shirt then pull it over his head, his tie already yanked off and lying on the floor beside his toed off shoes. The sight of Danny half naked had an immediate affect on Steve who stalked up to him and shoved him against the side of the couch. 

Dropping to his knees in front of the perched Danny, he ran a hand across Danny's throat and down the front of his chest, pausing to rub his thumbs over erect nipples and down to his waist band. He leaned in to taste Danny's sweat, nose tingling as it rubbed against the fur of Danny's chest, his fingers nimbly unfastening Danny's belt with no resistance this time. Pulling it from the pants, he freed the button and zip and pulled down every piece of fabric still attached to Danny and yanked them from his feet.

Finally getting a good look at Danny as he leaned back on the arm of the sofa, one arm clutching at the back for support, the other touching Steve wherever he could reach, Danny looked far gone, pupils blown wide and dark.

Steve pulled his top off quickly and fumbled with his own pants while lavishing attention on Danny's body with his tongue. He pushed against Danny again, and he tumbled over the arm of the couch to sprawl against the cushions. Stepping out of the last of his clothing, Steve took one look and then practically jumped right on top of the other man. 

Both naked but too far gone to enjoy a slow and sensual time together, it was quick and messy with hands, tongues and bodies held tightly to one another as they rocked to completion. 

As they lay there after, Steve's arm going slightly numb where it was somehow pinned under Danny's back, and his ass getting cold from being up in the air, he nuzzled in against Danny's neck, lightly biting but with his human teeth and not his fangs, not yet. 

"We need to clean up." Danny broke the silent spell between them.

Reluctantly and with much prodding from the man underneath him, Steve stood and went to get a wet cloth from the kitchen. Returning, they both cleaned themselves up as much as they could before Steve led Danny upstairs to the bedroom, where his promised big, comfortable bed was. 

Laying together, Steve holding tight to Danny, they fell asleep.

*

Danny felt groggy and slightly disoriented as he woke. It had been a while since he'd woken in someone else's bed, and the sound of the waves outside instantly told him this wasn't where he normally woke up. 

He turned to find Steve sprawled next to him taking up more room than he’d thought possible.

As if sensing Danny's movement, Steve opened his eyes and smiled. "Morning."

"Hey," Danny responded lightly and then leaned up on his elbows. As he looked around the room, Steve picked up on his uncertainty and closed the gap between them, pulling Danny back with him and molding him to his body as he leant back against the headboard. 

Sheets tangled between and around them, Danny sat between Steve's open legs and rested his head back against the other man's shoulder. Still not entirely awake, he let himself enjoy the feel of Steve's hands running over his body, soothingly. 

"So you sleep then?"

He felt the huff of Steve's breath on his bare shoulder. "Yes, we sleep." The breath was replaced with the feel of lips and light kisses. Steve bent one of his legs, trapping Danny more snugly against him as he ran a hand up and down Danny's arm. It was comfortable, and comforting, reminding him of how Steve had been before, out in his backyard. He'd felt relaxed by the act then, and he did now. Before, he'd thought it was all due to Steve Influencing him but now he thought maybe that was only a very small part of it, as he really had no objection to the feeling. He discovered Steve seemed to instinctively know just where to touch Danny to make him feel so good. 

Rough stubble coursed against the sensitive skin of his shoulder and neck and yet Danny liked it. He reached a hand back, cupping it behind Steve's head, encouraging him on. 

"On you go, babe."

Steve didn't respond, not out loud, but Danny began to feel the trace of sharp teeth over his neck and felt Steve's heart hammering against his back. A moment later a sharp pain made him hitch his breath and Steve moaned in bliss as they finally shared this moment. It didn't take long for the pain to recede and Danny felt like he was floating. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. There was arousal and euphoria and his world swam then coalesced again as he smiled, turning to Steve who licked the excess blood away from the marks and took Danny's mouth with his own. 

Steve had claimed him. There was no turning back from this relationship now.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, hopefully you enjoyed it. I do have ideas for a sequel. I know there are elements left unanswered (Danny's 'glow', Hesse is still alive etc etc) and I hope to get around to revealing more later on. Comments and kudos are much appreciated should you be so inclined.


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